Wikipedia
or appeared in Japan, between the end of the Muromachi era ( AD 1573) and the beginning of the Edo period, (AD 1603). Kabukimono is often translated into English as "strange things" or "the crazy ones", believed to be derived from kabuku meaning "to slant" or "to deviate". They were either ronin, wandering samurai, or men who had once worked for samurai families who, during times of peace, formed gangs.
Kabukimono would often dress in flamboyant clothing, combining colors such as yellow and blue, and often accessorized by wearing short kimonos with lead weights in the hem, velvet lapels, wide obi (sash), elements of European clothing or even kimono meant for women as cloaks. Kabukimono also often had uncommon hairstyles and facial hair, either styled up in various fashions, or left to grow long. Their katana would often have fancy hilts, large or square tsuba, red scabbards and were usually longer than normal length. Some kabukimono even used extremely long kiseru as weapons. It is also said that Izumo no Okuni borrowed heavily from the style and the personality of the kabukimono when she first started performing in Kyoto, which eventually led to the creation of the classical Kabuki theatrical form.
Kabukimono were often very violent and rude, doing things such as not paying at restaurants and stealing money from townsfolk. Cases of cutting down people simply to try a new sword, or large incidents of violence were common in areas where kabukimono could be found, in large cities such as Edo and Kyoto. Wrestling or dancing in the streets were also common as well as fighting with other gangs at night. The peak of kabukimono activity was during the Keichō period (1596–1615), although also during that time, the bakufu (shogunate) became more strict, and the kabukimono faded away.
It is thought that the modern yakuza originated from groups of kabukimono; though other scholars believe that the yakuza origins are to be found in the , a form of private police.